MumbaiRapping the government for not doing enough to solve the water scarcity problem in Sangola taluka of Solapur district, the Bombay High Court today summoned revenue and irrigation departments' principal secretaries.
Both the officials have been asked to be present on October 11. What irked the court more was the fact that while revenue secretary could not remain present in court today -- as earlier directed -- due to ill-health, the irrigation secretary was abroad.
" Your secretaries have time to go abroad, but not to visit the villages (reeling under water crisis)," a division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud said.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by Appasaheb Patil, a local resident, complaining that some 100-odd villages in Sangola were facing a perennial water scarcity, when water from nearby Veer-Bhatghar reservoirs was overflowing into Neera river.
The PIL demanded that an existing canal be upgraded so that excess water could be supplied to Sangola.
On July 26, the High Court asked the secretaries to hold a meeting in this regard, saying that "people cannot remain without water".
However, on last occasion, court noticed that meeting was held by lower officers. The court then summoned both secretaries to the court, but both played truant today. Patil's lawyer Machhindra Patil said last year the government had paid Rs 3.75 crore for providing water to these villages by tanker.
Government counsel Rupali Pawar argued that villages were provided water by tankers this summer, so there was no shortage, but the court was not satisfied. " Your affidavit is hopeless. Let your secretaries remain present in the court next time," the court said.
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